


Achilles' Heel

by Lycoria



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Coffeeshop AU, Gods AU, I love suffering so I wrote this, Immortal!Everyone pretty much, M/M, Modern AU, Mortal!Shiro, Zarkon and Haggar aren't necessarily bad guys in this, immortal au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 10:38:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8747278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lycoria/pseuds/Lycoria
Summary: "Maybe in a different life, we could have been friends." Keith laughed, the bitter taste lingering on his tongue. "You don't even know the half of it." Reincarnation AU with Immortal!Keith and Mortal!Shiro





	

**Author's Note:**

> Here I am, once again, with a new multichaptered fic. 
> 
> I just can't seem to stop myself from starting new fic ideas, but either way, I'm incredibly thankful if you decided to read this new one I started as well.

For three straight days, it had been a veritable downpour in New York, soaking the grimy blocks and forming dangerous puddles of liquid garbage, just waiting for the misplaced footing of their victims.

Keith stood at one of those particular corners under his favorite red umbrella. Rather, it was his only umbrella. Where he was from, it hardly ever rained. Before that, never. The thin cloth and cheap wiring threatened once again to collapse in on itself at another gust of wind tunneling down the street.

It had been a long day for Keith. Quite possibly, a long year. As he stood at the corner of street, willing the light to change green while the rain pelted his poor umbrella, he wondered for the upteenth time what he was thinking when he decided to make the big move.

_“I heard it’s different now.” He had said between mouthfuls of Hot Cheetos to his bespectacled friend. Her face was a mix of boredom and skepticism._

_She had come to visit on one of those rare occasions. His place wasn’t necessarily the worst, with an open floor plan and a decent sized bedroom, but it still was a far cry from her own home base._

_“I thought you had a good thing going here in Arizona.” She folded her arms and did a half turn to gaze out of the floor to ceiling window of his apartment overlooking Phoenix, city lights glimmering in the night._

_Keith shrugged, feeling the slight burning sensation bloom on his tongue. “Pidge, I’ve been around for too long. It’s about time to move.”_

_Pidge flopped onto the couch beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. He continued eating, clearly used to her subtle form of affection. “They all miss you back at home, you know.”_

_“Not all.” He crunched loudly._

_That earned a slap on the shoulder. “I know you know what I mean. Why do you always have to make things so hard for yourself? And why do you eat that shit anyways?”_

_“Closest to what we got back at home.” He saw a flicker of guilt, quickly replaced by disgust as he sucked the residuals off his fingers. He noticed that his hand had been dyed red._

_A heavy silence fell between the two as he refused to answer her question, words going unspoken but still understood. Eventually she sighed, acknowledging her defeat. “Doesn’t it ever get old for you?”_

_Earnest, dark eyes trained onto her face. “Never.”_

_“Alright then.” With a resigned huff. Pidge stepped closer to the window, wry smile forming. “Still, don’t be a stranger, okay?”_  

_He could feel a grin tugging on the edges of his own mouth. “We have all the time in the world. I’ll see you guys around.”_

_She rolled her eyes at the phrase, but still waved goodbye as she fell back against the glass of his window, her body slipping through like an expert swimmer cutting through water. Ever so gently, her form dissolved like stardust, blending into the yellow glow of the city._

_He scoffed before digging through his bag for another handful of Hot Cheetos._

_“Show-off.”_

The unpleasant sensation of cold water seeping through his shoes broke him from his reverie, just in time to see a car speed out of a puddle in front of him, obscenities from other pedestrians trailing behind. At least he found camaraderie in the general disposition of the average New Yorker, deciding to hurl a few choice words of his own after the driver, now stuck at the next stop behind a city bus.

“You’re just… a bit unfriendly, Keith.” His green-haired manager at the SoHo coffee shop finally admitted earlier that afternoon, toying at the piercing in her lip, a nervous habit. “It’s like… your general aura or something? Maybe you could brighten up a bit for the counter?”

Keith tilted his head to one side, as if contemplating. “Sure, I guess.”

“Great.” She responded, deadpanned and disbelieving. “Well, have a good weekend Keith.”

He reached to grab his umbrella from the stand in the break room, shrugging his bomber jacket on.

“Wait.” She stopped him. Keith turned, waiting expectantly.

“Have you tried yoga? Maybe it’ll help.”

If yoga really could help, he thought to himself as he wheezed up the stairs to the fifth floor of his walk-up, it would be nothing short of a miracle.

Of course, it wasn’t like he was unfamiliar with the idea of miracles.

He jiggled at the lock expertly, knowing the exact angle in which he had to turn it to make the door finally relinquish and let him inside.

It’s the apartment’s character and charm, his landlord insisted.

Keith set the battered umbrella down beside his coat closet, sighing heavily in an attempt to release the tension from his shoulders. Trudging into his living room in the dark, he felt his pinky toe connect with the leg of his dining table.

Before he could even curse to himself, he heard the snap of a pair of fingers. The lights turned on, revealing a hooded figure sitting on his couch.

“Hey Haggar.” He greeted, bent down and nursing his toe. “Didn’t even see you there.”

“You’ve been slacking.” She hissed with no preamble, yellow eyes glowing. “How could you not tell that I was here as soon as you stepped into your apartment? Let alone down the block?”

Keith slumped over gracelessly, sitting on the worn wooden floor. “Been a bit preoccupied. Besides, I’ve been trying to ween myself off of all that.”

Another snap of her fingers and the pain in his toe dissipated.  Haggar continued to glare at him from his couch. “You have a duty to serve, Keith. Just like the rest of us.”

“Yeah, well, you know I’ve never really been into any of that.” He fought the urge to roll his eyes as the lights flickered in display of her wrath. They all really couldn’t keep themselves from being over dramatic, could they?

“This isn’t up for debate Keith. This is what we do. You are a _god_.”  

 

* * *

 

“Why the term ‘god’, anyways?”

So many years ago, several millennia’s worth, Keith had asked the question as lounged on his chair, flicking the occasional stray grape aside. Pidge was first to answer, pushing up her glasses before speaking. “We’re all essentially higher beings, called to alter and subvert reality as we see fit. Since they can’t do the same, I can see why the mortals worship us.”

“We do things based on what would be the best outcome for Earth, right?” Hunk added his thoughts in, plucking the abandoned grape from Keith’s side of the table. “I for one think I should help my followers, since they’re all so devoted to me.”

Lance had been busy sipping from his golden goblet. “All the cute human girls doing your whim at your bidding is also a plus.”

The trio collectively sighed in response.

“Keith, you’re the god of the warrior instinct and fire. Why’d you bring up something so heavy anyways? Aren’t you a little out of your depth?” Pidge took the chance to dig at him smugly.

“Sure, whatever, Goddess Wisdom.” He knew she hated her formal name and watched as she crinkled her nose. “I just, don’t you think it’s a bit strange? I’m in direct competition with Allura, she’s in charge of Peace, isn’t she?”

“All facets of the same universe, the same reality. We nudge things in the right direction.” The white haired goddess finally entered into the conversation from her seat at the head of the table. “Gods have fought over their differing opinions before, but I believe that if we cooperate rationally, we can do things for the betterment of the people.”

Allura was technically older than all of them, their mentor for godhood. Even so, as the centuries blended together, they had grown to be more of a group, and she enjoyed eating and bantering with the rest of them.

“I guess I’m just not really into it.” Keith stood, the chair gliding smoothly out from under him. “I’m gonna head down and see what’s up around there.”

“What’s not to like about cool powers and immortality?” Lance quipped before biting into fresh peach.

He stopped, moments away from melting away into gold light. “I like what the mortals have. They have conflict, they struggle and earn what they have.”

“Must be a Warrior God thing.” Keith heard someone mutter before he shifted out of the plane of gods entirely.

When he reformed on the surface of Earth, he felt the hard stone flooring under his feet, turned his eyes to the doorway, looking east to see the rising sun, rays split by the tall columns of the temple. Behind him, he knew, stood a statue meant to be the physical representation of his being.

There was something about the way his feet pressed against the smooth ground, the very act of standing a small challenge in its own way. The world around a human was constant battle, no bargains made, a fight against the elements and each other. Maybe this is why he preferred being on Earth, everything was just a bit less convenient.

Maybe it really was a Warrior God thing.

Turning, his habitual scowl darkened a little. The same statue was there, and he knew that the sculptor had tried, but it looked nothing like him. Tall and broad-shouldered with an impressive head of curls, Keith realized it was a representation of what was popular and attractive now, and he could easily alter his appearance, but this was the form that came a bit easier to him. Just a bit shorter, darker hair, probably no less attractive though.

It wasn’t typical that he found himself in his own temple of worship, but something that Hunk had said rung true to him, to give a bit back to his followers wouldn’t hurt anything. It would probably count as part of his “duty” and it would get Zarkon off his back for at least a couple months or so.

He stepped out and headed down the marble steps. Maybe he should become an old crippled man in need, Allura sure liked doing that and rewarding those who helped her. Or maybe he could outright terrify them, like Pidge enjoyed.

Keith felt himself connect with another body and stumbled a few steps back, momentarily surprised and humiliated that he had been so lost in thought.

“I’m sorry!” He heard a voice exclaim. “I wasn’t paying attention where I was walking, are you alright?”

He knew he wasn’t the shortest nor the tallest, but he found that he had to tilt his head back to look at the human’s face.

Keith fought the urge to curse.

The man before him looked more like that statue in the temple than he ever could, rippling muscles apparent from under the cloth of his chiton. He stood there, square jawline tense and dark eyebrows pinched with concern. He just needed a laurel wreath and anyone would have thrown themselves at his feet.

“Yeah I was just…” The words in Keith’s mouth felt clumsy.

“Just?” The human replied, low and quiet.

“Wasn’t watching where I was heading, don’t worry about it.”

“No problem.” He smiled then, the expression in competition with the brightness of the sun. Keith, the god, felt himself enraptured. If he had a type when it came to humans, this would be it.

Then, the man gestured to the amphora held in his arm. “My name is Shiro by the way. Were you just here to make a sacrifice to the God of War?”

“Keith.” He replied before thinking about Shiro’s question. “I suppose, in a way, I was.”

“I’m here for the same. I have some wine from the southern island.” Shiro looked pleased with his offering.

Keith’s mouth watered a little. He did enjoy the wine from the southern island. Maybe he would swing back later for it.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” The human cocked his head to the side. “I haven’t see you around before. Did you come here on a pilgrimage?”

A half smile formed on his mouth. “You could say that I am a traveler of sorts.”

“Oh, well if you have nowhere to go after this, please let me invite you to my home.”

Keith could see the honest generosity in Shiro’s face, and normally he wouldn’t have accepted any human’s offer to dinner, but there was something about him that drew the god in. He wasn’t going to deny he entertained the idea of pressing his mouth onto the line of Shiro’s neck. He could reward the human or something for it, he was already a follower of Keith’s.

The half smile was a full one now. “That would be wonderful, thank you for your show of hospitality.”

“Of course.” A blush bloomed on Shiro’s cheeks. “It is only the right thing to do to offer a weary traveler a place to stay.”

He left Keith then and proceeded up the steps, the god opting to wander around the areas of his monument until Shiro was finished. Keith didn’t take to humans very often, but it wasn’t particularly frowned upon by the rest of the gods. He was like Allura, selective and solitary. For Lance, it was becoming a habit, but Pidge on the other hand barely spoke to humans without tiring from it. It was honestly her general disposition, mortals or immortals alike.

The sun had moved to a position higher overhead when Shiro returned, glad to see that Keith had stayed and waited. They took the path back into the town, the human acting as a guide by pointing out local buildings to him. A handful of other humans greeted Shiro as he walked by, and he would answer warmly in return, Keith noticing that Shiro obviously had some sort of celebrity in the town. When they finally arrived at his home, the two of them walked past the well maintained courtyard and into house.

It was spacious with all things considered, and Keith wondered how Shiro came to be the owner of the house. He seemed to have realized, and he smiled and explained that his parents had long since passed, the god could only nod sympathetically.

“It’s about lunchtime, are you hungry?”

He never was hungry, but it seemed like a good idea. Shiro set down plates of salted fish and bread, offering Keith a cup. “I also kept some of that wine for myself. I hope the Warrior God doesn’t mind.”

Absolutely not, Keith thought to himself.

They spoke mainly of Shiro’s life in the town. He was training to be a soldier, which is why he gave a sacrifice. Most of the time, he wasn’t permitted to stay at his familial home, the reason as to why he had no other slaves or help to run the household. When he tried to inquire about Keith’s family, Keith was relieved that Shiro seemed to respect his silence on the subject, asking more about his travels.

When you’re a god, it’s easy to have traveled all over the world with a snap of your fingers. Even still, he spoke only of closer territories, especially not of the unknown continents on the other side of the ocean. Shiro drank in the stories with enthusiasm, having only traveled as far as the next town over. The midday waned into late afternoon, and Keith drained his cup one last time before getting up.

“I shouldn’t overstay my welcome, you’ve been much too kind.” It was honestly only posturing, but it was a necessary aspect of human culture. If Shiro let him go now, Keith didn’t mind. It was good enough food and company for one afternoon, and he still intended to honor Shiro’s requests.

Much to his satisfaction, as Keith had learned, Shiro was much too proper to let him go. “It would be a shame for you to leave.” Shiro also stood now, his large hand resting on Keith’s shoulder and face painfully sincere. “At least stay for the night.”

Keith lightly placed his hand on Shiro’s. He had as much time as he could ever want or need, but Keith didn’t feel like wasting any more. “Would that mean anything in particular?”

“What do you mean, Keith?” The blush from earlier that morning began to creep back into Shiro’s face. Still, his hand didn’t fall from Keith’s shoulder.

“I think you know what I mean.” Slowly, Keith ran his fingers over Shiro’s hand and up his arm, relishing the feeling of the well-formed muscle underneath. He drew closer and gave the human a pointed look with darkened eyes. “Am I being too forward?”

If Shiro had only said no, Keith would have backed away instantly, apologized, and never saw the human again, it was that simple for him. Instead Shiro brought their mouths together, the kiss only lasted for a moment before he stepped back, a gentle thumb on Keith’s bottom lip. “Maybe a bit forward,” he teased, “But I just wasn’t expecting someone like you to... “

“Like me?” The words came out a bit irritated. He wanted to go back to kissing, to touching.

“You’re gorgeous, so I had no idea why you would ask me.” He stated plainly.

“ _Me_?” Now Keith was the one flustered. “Have you looked at yourself?”

Before Shiro could reply, the god wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him downward, his kiss insistent and desperate with need.

They fell together easily, stumbling towards Shiro’s sleeping quarters. The pair took little time to explore, good wine still on the tip of their tongues and only slightly clouding their minds. As Keith moaned with every snap of Shiro’s hips, as Shiro feverishly emptied himself all over his backside, Keith praised himself for the best idea he’s ever had.

Completely in character, Shiro didn’t force Keith to leave when they finished, taking him in his arms, rubbing slow circles on his back. Normally Keith left right away, with no complaints from his partner. This time he felt dazed and sated, with fluttering eyelids he knew he should leave, but he didn’t, opting to bury himself further into Shiro’s embrace as he fell into sleep.

It was nighttime when Keith woke and untangled himself from the human. He laid there for a moment and watched as Shiro slept, deep breaths with every rise and fall of his chest. What a shame, he caught himself thinking, if Shiro was one of them, maybe Keith would have stuck around for longer.

“I’ll be here for another few weeks before I leave for the barracks again.”

He startled Keith, on his way to sneaking out the door. Shiro propped himself up on one elbow, bedsheet slipping down his torso in an unbearably attractive way. “I’d like to see you again. If I’m not being too forward."

“Maybe.” Keith had meant to answer flippantly, but his voice was humiliatingly vulnerable. He had been asked to stay or come back again by at least one or two suitors, but he had never felt inclined to.

“If you do, I’ll meet you when the sun is directly overhead.”

“Sure.” He answered curtly before turning again to the door, his heart beat still racing as he exploded into golden light.

 

* * *

 

It was a strange arrangement, and Keith knew it. Every couple of days or so, he ascended only to meet Shiro, who would always greet him with a toothy grin. Sometimes they spent a day in bed, pushing against each other until Keith couldn’t find the strength to breathe. Other days they wandered the city, visiting Shiro’s favorite places 

Keith didn’t like it. He was forming a _habit._ Like Lance did with his human girls. .

But still, he returned to see Shiro, again and again. He found that Shiro was good with the smaller children in the town, that he couldn’t be trusted to cook anything himself, that he trained hard and spared himself nothing even if he was supposed to be resting.

Keith tried to maintain a level of secrecy when it came to himself, spinning tales of sights he’s seen and places he’s been. Shiro was kind and understanding enough to ask nothing of him but what he could provide.

He had reasoned that it was only until Shiro had to return to his life in the barracks, but when Shiro told him where he’d be stationed at, the few days became a few weeks, the few weeks became months.

“Keith, are you seeing that human boy again today?” Allura asked him, her voice carefully neutral.

He gave her a shrug, speaking honestly. “Yeah, I was.”

“Zarkon’s not happy.”

“He’s never happy, Allura.”

She pursed her lips, delicate hand propping up her chin as she sat at the table. “I mean it, Keith. He’s angry that you haven’t done your duty as a god in so many months.”

“I’m only making sure that one of my most devoted followers is safe.” Keith snarked. “I thought that’s what he wanted.”

“Keith-”

“Why doesn’t he go after Lance like he does to me? Does he just turn a blind eye to all the humans he’s toying with at any given moment?” His hands were curled into fists now, mouth set in determination.

She gave him a thoughtful look before answering, one long enough that it made him regret his outburst even just a bit. “You know this isn’t the same thing as Lance.”

He turned away from her, refusing to say anything. He knew what she was thinking, what probably all of them were thinking, and he knew that she would only gaze at him with unwanted sympathy.

“I just… wanted to let you know to be careful. I know more than anyone that being this, being what we all are, wasn’t something you asked for.”

At her words, he felt his fingers relax, shoulders sinking as his palms unfurled to reveal red crescents. Once again, Allura was the voice of reason, the one with the unsaid answers. Keith managed to crack a tiny smile.

“Thanks, Allura.” Genuine as he faded away into familiar gold.

 

* * *

 

“Are you okay?” Shiro asked him when they met at the mouth of the path heading towards the Warrior God’s temple. “I know you’re normally taciturn, but you seem a bit… upset.”

Now a second dagger was pointed at his throat. Between Allura and Shiro, there was nowhere to hide his feelings. “I’m fine. Rough day is all.”

The human looked unsure, but as usual was not one to push. “I’d like to make a sacrifice today, so I’ll be back in a few.”

Dully, he nodded in acknowledgement, watching as his figure walked up the road and disappeared from view into his temple. It was funny before, to see him diligently bring offerings. Now it only served to deepen the existing chasm between them.

“I thought I told Allura to warn you not to see him again.”

The voice ran through him like a sword, inexplicable fear welling up into his throat. There was only one person that could evoke such terror in another immortal. Keith turned and found him pinned under Zarkon’s violet gaze.

“She did.” Not meaning to be petulant.

The god’s eyes lowered to slits, obviously not caring what Keith meant. “I have clearly let you run around for too long, doing as you please.”

“It’s not like you had a problem with this arrangement for the past few millennia.” He folded his arms in an attempt to protect himself, disguised as nonchalance.

“Don’t play a fool with me. An errant god is one thing, but this is another. You know that the circumstances have changed.” He tilted his head towards the temple, and Keith felt himself become unhinged.

“Leave him out of this-”

“But I can’t.” Zarkon’s voice cracked like thunder. “You were the one that dragged him into our world.”

An unseen force, a pressure forced Keith downwards to the ground, his hands pressing into the flagstones to keep himself from flattening against the path all together. Zarkon stood over him, unmoving.

“Submit to me and never see him again. That is what you must do.”

As he fought against the sheer force of Zarkon’s will, the stones beneath his hands began to boil and bubble like lava, his arms shaking from the effort. Wildly, he knew that what he was doing was foolish at best, but he couldn’t hold it back, his pride too great to let go.

“Keith! What’s going on?”

_No._

The sound of pounding footsteps neared, his back turned away from Shiro’s running form.

“I’m fine!” He gasped out. “You need to leave-!”

 _Let go._ He felt a voice in him chant. _Let go and save yourself, save Shiro._

“Who are you? What are you doing to him?” Instead the human confronted.

Keith fought the laughter down. Two idiots. That’s what they were. Of course they got along, both were too headstrong and set in their own ways, and now Shiro would take the fall for his supreme ignorance.

“If you knew better, you would have run by now, human.” Zarkon murmured. “This is beyond the comprehension of your kind.”

Distantly, Keith heard himself cry out as felt the ground beneath him cave, the god before him steadily adding weight.

Suddenly, the force disappeared and the backlash of it reverberated throughout the area. Keith jumped up, turning to see Shiro kneeled, left arm holding the stump of his right as blood poured onto the white of his chiton.

“He was stupid enough to lunge at me. I can see what you liked in him.” Zarkon chuckled, amused.

Keith stood between the god and the human, blocking his path. “Stop. Zarkon, stop and I’ll-”

“He’s no good anymore. He’s lost his arm and you still want him?”

It was a test, and one that he knew he could only lose. Answer yes and Zarkon would deem Shiro a hazard. Answer no and Zarkon would toss Shiro aside.

Keith swallowed thickly, realizing finally that he was willing to bargain for a human life.

In that moment of indecision, he saw a figure leap from behind him, red painting the flagstones as he ran. With disbelief, Keith watched as Shiro’s skull connected with Zarkon’s, Zarkon stumbling back right before he flung the human’s battered body into the trunk of a tree.

“Your broken little toy is now gone, Keith. I hope you’ve learned your lesson.”

There was no need for Keith to hear Zarkon’s words, feeling the very air swallow the last remnants of Shiro’s existence.

 

* * *

 

 

Behind the counter of the coffee shop, Keith yawned widely before he handed his first customer of the day her soy latte. He had managed to force Haggar out of his dingy apartment eventually, even though she swore up and down that she’d be back at Zarkon’s request. The world of gods and goddesses meant nothing to him, it might as well have been a part of a different life, he mused to himself sarcastically.

His life now was in New York City, on the fourth consecutive day that it had rained in a row. Like any rainy day, work was slow and even his manager was at the corner tapping away on her smartphone. Maybe he had to give in and get one of those things. Not like anyone would call, but he liked the idea of being able to play some games. Keith made the note to ask Pidge for some suggestions.

He walked into storage with the intention to restock the snack counter, hearing the doorbell chime as a customer walked in. His coworker would be able to take care of it, he knew, and so he went back to grabbing boxes of vegan chickpea puffs.

Heavily, he set down the boxes before he noticed the order had been made, ready to serve. He took the cup of hot chocolate, reading the name to call out before he stopped, his heart dropping into his stomach.

“There isn’t really anyone else in here, so I think you could safely assume it’s for me.” Keith heard the familiar voice rumble, entertained.

“Uh-huh.” He replied a little dumbly, thumb rubbing against the sharpied name on the cup in disbelief before he looked upwards. 

There he was, dyed white tuft of hair peeking out from his grey beanie. A sight that Keith could never get tired of, no matter how many times he was able to see it again. The man grinned. “You look new here.”

He handed him his hot chocolate. “Yeah, I’m Keith.”

The customer took his drink eagerly. “Keith, hope you like it here. My name’s-”

“Shiro.”

Shiro looked embarrassed. “Well yeah, it’s written on the cup, so of course.”

“Nice to meet you, Shiro.” Keith rolled the name around in his mouth, like candy on his tongue.

He raised his cup, pretending to make a toast. “Nice to meet you too, Keith.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I didn't want to spoil anything. So I hope you guys are doing okay * v *;;
> 
> Thanks so much for reading until the end! I have a lot to explain and I definitely will in the next chapter!


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